This is a side transfer platform and system for transferring transport containers to and from the platform and cars in a train (either one or both are moving) and between trucks, trailers, or buses with relative movement alongside of the platform. This invention includes storage for containers for successive transfers and accelerating pushers to align containers at speed with a car for transfer thereto.
It is an object to provide a simple and cheap transfer system that eliminates the crane or rotary lift of my prior systems and instead uses platforms with parallel oblique channel tracks and arms with wheels for riding and guiding in the channels to pull or push in or out the containers using the momentum of the train or vehicle.
It is an object to provide easily detachable transfer arms on existing cargo containers to engage in the channels for transfer. It is an object to provide side transfer arms which are twist locked tight to the container corner castings. A related object is to provide transfer arms that swing tip and out of the way on the containers for clearance on the cars.
An object of this invention is to provide safe nonstop roll-off roll-on transfer of cargo containers from the side of a car especially a car that has a roof over the container berth. It is an object to provide on the car with roof over the container area roll up-down side doors which part longitudinally aways up the side of the car to open up and down and provide side transfer arms which are twist locked tight to the container corner castings to swing down when the doors are opened to extend from the side of the car to engage in diagonal channel tracks to carry the container parallel out and away from the car as pushed by the car. It is an object to fully enclose the car to keep snow and ice out and extend and retract the transfer arms with the doors.
Another object is to provide smooth acceleration of a standing container to align for transfer in a short distance, and further to provide a pusher moved by an acceleration arm pivoted to rotate by movement of the train to accelerate the container to align at train speed for transfer.
It is an object to provide a roller bed or skid platform dock with oblique parallel transfer channels or track for transfer of containers to or from the train and dock and truck and dock on the same or preferably opposite sides of the dock. Another object is to provide accumulating conveyors run parallel to the channels for retarding, moving, storing, and accelerating the containers selectively.
It is an object also to provide an oblique-channel dock and system for transfer of small containers to be carried side by side on the railway cars and end to end on trucks. It is an object to provide transfer arms mounted central on the bottom of these containers for the length thereof to be extended to engage dock channels on either side of the car. It is an object that ends of these containers fit flush with the car sides and the car have doors to close off empty container berths.
It is an object to eliminate friction of the container on the platform by means such as magnetic levitation or air or fluid levitation of the container for transfer on the dock.
It is an object to provide passenger container transfer between train and bus.
It is an object to provide enclosed container cars to streamline the train and open for transfer of containers nonstop.
A further object is to place the channel dock on a vehicle to move alongside of a standing or moving train or vehicle at a speed for transfer either to or from the dock.
It is an object to provide these transfer containers for passengers, vehicles of the passengers, mail, express, and freight.
It is also an object to provide this for material handling or as a transfer device for amusement rides, miniature railways, or toys.